Bicyclists get lane to call their own

NEW HAVEN  More bicyclists are now pedaling along portions of Orange Street and adjoining roads under safer conditions thanks to the citys first officially designated bicycle lanes.

Randall Beach

Published
12:00 am EST, Wednesday, November 12, 2003

In recent weeks, bicyclists were excited to see bike route signs, striped lines for bike lanes and pavement logos of bicyclists appear on Orange Street, from Cold Spring Street near the base of East Rock Park to the intersection of Humphrey Street.

After bicyclists turn onto Humphrey Street, they can see a solid white line on one side.

However, once they turn left onto the motor vehicle-heavy Whitney Avenue, there is no stripe.

The bicycle route resumes about two blocks later on Sachem Street, which has signs reading "Bike Route  Share the Road," although there is not yet any striping on that street.

The route continues down Prospect Street and then College Street, ending downtown at the Elm Street intersection. But this stretch does not yet have the elaborate striping seen on Orange Street.

"Were 90 percent done," said Mike Piscitelli, an assistant director in the City Plan Department. "We just need to do some more inside striping."

He said Orange Street has 4-foot-wide bike lanes in each direction because that street is wider than the others.

Piscitelli said this first route is seen as a trailblazer for similar bicycle routes contemplated in other parts of the city. Areas under consideration include Howard Avenue, portions of the Route 34 Connector and a route from Westville to downtown.

Bicyclists using the East Rock route are upbeat.

"I really like it," said Melinda Tuhus, who has been commuting downtown by bicycle from her Hamden home for 16 years. "I feel very safe. I feel I have my own space."

With the striped lane in place, she said, "The motorists realize its there and they dont go into that space."

Tuhus said she is seeing more bicyclists around New Haven these days. She said she is also noticing fewer angry honks at bicyclists from motorists.

But bicyclists know they still need to be very cautious.

Recently a reporter saw a man hop out of a parked truck on Orange Street and open his door directly into the path of a bicyclist who was traveling on the bike lane. The bicyclist shouted, "Whoa!" and swerved just in time to avoid being clipped by the door.

"We call that being doored," Tuhus said. "Thats one of the dangers when you ride by parked vehicles. People dont look when they open their doors."

Matthew Feiner, who owns the Devils Gear bicycle shop in New Haven, said the now narrower motor vehicle portion of Orange Street has forced motorists to drive more slowly, making it safer for everybody.

But Peter Chapman, who two months ago was nearly hit by a car while he rode his bicycle on State Street, warned that on streets with or without bicycle lanes, "You always need to be extremely cautious."